it is rock music released on an independent label
take 2 bands and compare...the black keys and yo la tengo
do u see any similarity? no u probably dont. thus it isnt rly a genre

listening to indie doesnt make u unique or cool or special
if u like indie, it makes u just as special as liking classic rock, rap, blues etc...people should stop pretending they like indie rock bands, and listen to what they really like....

kid who doesnt know about music: "yea dude i got this new MM album, i semi like the way it sounds but dont appreciate the rly good hard work put into it. look everyone i like indie rock "

Alternative Rock music that didn't cross over into the mainstream(by choice or not) after the "alternative revolution" of the 90's. Typically, the music is relased on small "indie" labels. Indie Rock bands do music that doesn't necessarily appeal to wide mainstream audiences. There are a variety of reasons for this but some of the more common examples are the sound being to raw and abrasive(i.e to much distortion/feedback), the lyrics being to cryptic and abstract or the production and musicianship being to amateurish. In more recent years however some indie bands such as Modest Mouse, The Shins and The White Stripes have found some mainstream success. These bands however are still considered indie because they still have a decidedly non-mainstream sound.

indie rock is a sub group and culture of music that is defined by poetic lyrics and instrumentals that follow suit and accent the lyrics.
The thing that many indie rock followers dispute about are posers and sell outs. first i'd like to say that because a band like death cab sign with a big label, their music is still following the same style as it did in their past records.
the other thing that many followers argue about is posers. the indie rock poser is one of two things... 1-the kid who hears about an indie band on tv and begins acting like they have been a follower from the begining... or 2-the indie obbsessor who reads up on bands they don't even like or that don't sound good just because they're indie and they can be added to their iPod to make said kid look more indie.

that being said indie rock is one of the greatest genres of music ever created and i love it.

1. A rock band that hasn't been signed on to a record label. Therefore, an independently managed rock band.
2. A band that fits under the label 'indie-rock' which nowadays rarely actualy means a band without a record label but instead fits the general 'indie-rock' sound.

Their followers may not necessarily follow them because they like their music but just to be able to have something obscure on their I-Pod and to be able to criticize people who don't like or haven't heard of said band.
If a band manages to sign a record deal or get on a popular radio station they will often loose a large chunk of their fan base who now no longer consider them 'indie' enough for them and will deem them as 'sell-outs'.
Indie-rock is usually simply referred to as Indie.
Keep an eye out for people who want to get attention or be considered 'cool' for liking indie music. People like these are often referred to as Indie Posers or Hipsters. These people fall into two major categories:
1. Those who download hoards of indie rock playlists and keep the songs whether they like them or not. They get great enjoyment from watching their friends scroll through their artists and not recognizing any of them.
2. The people who know only four or five indie bands but still think that they're avid listeners to the music. They get really disappointed when they find out that most of their friends know those bands too. They normally only know one or two songs from each artist.

Friend: Oh hey, can I see your I-Pod?
Indie Poser: Sure. But you probably won't know any of the artists, they're all pretty obscure.
Friend: Wintersleep, Arctic Monkeys, Arcade fire, I love those bands. Although a couple of songs on the album Funeral took a bit of time to get used to. What did you think of it?
Indie Poser: Er, what?
-Indie Poser pwnd-

Indie Poser1: Do you know -insert obscure band name here-
Indie Poser2: Duh. Of course. How could anyone not have heard of them?
-Indie Poser1 is now deletes that band from their I-Pod. Indie Poser2 adds their entire album since they'd never heard of them before.

The best way to mess with their minds is to ask them if they know a band who's name you just made up. Wait for an appropriate time after they've agreed they're fans of it to say you made it up. Watch them squirm.

Alternative rock that largely rejects the machismo and polish of post 90's alternative rock and has a quirky, offbeat sound and sensibility that is mostly rooted in the underground and college rock of the late 80's such as The Smiths and the Pixies . Early pioneers in indie rock include Pavement, Dinosaur Jr., Elliot Smith and Built to Spill. In the 2000's bands like The Strokes, The Shins, the Arctic Monkeys and scene veterans Modest Mouse have achieved mainstream success largely due to the internet and exposure on movies, TV and commercials. Contrary to popular belief the term "indie" does not necessarily have to refer to the record labels the bands sign to and in fact has evolved to refer to the DIY, non-commercial and "independent" approach to songwriting that has largely defined indie rock. The Killers, Coldplay, Keane and Radiohead are NOT indie rock musicians and Snow Patrol was only indie on there first album if at all.

The Shins, The Dismemberment Plan, Modest Mouse, Death Cab for Cutie and Fugazi are all indie rock bands due to their largely uncompromising and non-commercial approach to song writing and there offbeat sounds and sensibility.

An umbrella term for various non-commercial strains of rock and roll, separate from heavy metal's non-commercial artists. Its origins can be traced back to punk rock and post-punk of the late '70s and the early '80s. That non-commercial nature could stem from the outwardly ugly sound of the music, the wishes of the artist, the effeminacy of the music, etc. Indie rock is a wide umbrella, covering music, such as country/western or soft rock, that the punks would have rejected.

Saying that a band plays indie rock really doesn't say much about what kind of music it plays.

Indie rock is short for a rock band that's on independent record label. Its not a sound or a music style. The media has apparently confused or brain washed people who don't know what it is to start believing it is tho. Really since the 70s and 80s indie rock bands have gotten mainstream attention without being on a major label. Notable since the 70s to 2000s are joy division,the smiths,oasis,blur,the libertines,arcade fire. Which are all alternative. So when someone says its all the same or is a sound it makes no sense cause theres hardrock bands,heavy metal bands,punk rock bands and more different rock genres on a indie label.

Girl: have you heard indie rock like the killers,death cab for cutie,the strokes? they all have the indie sound. Guy: no those bands are on major labels and indie rock does not have a sound. But I love those bands. Girl: oh!